


semi-cataclysmic events

by wilsonsnest



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon-Typical Violence, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-30
Updated: 2019-06-30
Packaged: 2020-05-30 21:42:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19411972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wilsonsnest/pseuds/wilsonsnest
Summary: It took time travel for Steve to figure his shit out, so Bucky doesn’t think he’s doing too bad.feat. Old!Steve, Cap!Sam and Pining!Bucky





	semi-cataclysmic events

**Author's Note:**

> Had a little plotbunny earlier today, which usually never happens to me on such a small scale. I'm so jealous of people who can write one-shots, so I'm inordinately proud of having written this.
> 
> x-posted on tumblr as well.

“So, you and Sam…?”

Bucky looks over at Steve and squints suspiciously. He looks infuriatingly serene, a small secretive smile on his lips. Ever since he came back, he’s taken the grandpa schtick and run with it. Even now, their taking a leisurely paced walk around the Mall while Sam is lapping them at a steady pace. Bucky’s fairly certain Steve could still run with the best of them, but pretending to hobble around really seems to amuse the ex-superhero more than it should. ‘Keeping up appearances’ he had cheerfully informed Bucky one morning.

Bucky doesn’t have much of an excuse, other than that they’ve actually got a break from missions and getting out of bed before 8am is enough of a sacrifice. Sam, as hardworking as ever, has a routine to keep up with and refuses to bend no matter how much Bucky begs. Its infuriatingly noble and warms Bucky’s heart.

“Me and Sam.” Bucky mumbles, kicking one foot so that his shoe makes a a scraping noise against the cement. Run or Talk. Two options, neither very appealing.

“Have you told him?” Steve asks, knowing full well what the answer is. “He’s waiting for _you_ , you know.”

Does Bucky know? Not really. He watches Sam, who is steadily gaining on them for another lap. The sun is coming up behind him, and Bucky almost wants to take his cellphone out and snap a picture. Luckily Bucky isn’t that much of a weirdo.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Bucky sighs and slides his eyes over to look at his friend. “Stop looking at me like that.”

Steve’s eyebrows are raised, the wrinkles on his forehead pronounced. Its annoying that he can still pull off innocent when he looks like someone’s grandfather (He is actually a grandpa, something he’s quite proud of). 

“Take some advice from an old man.” Steve ignores him when he scoffs. “Don’t wait too long, you’ll regret it.”

Bucky looks over at him, tight-lipped. He’s never asked, but he wonders if Steve regrets how it all happened. Sure he got his happy ending, but it still cost him. Friends, family and so much more. Bucky knows it wasn’t all sunflowers and roses for Steve, but it still stings.

“Nah,” He answers, looking at the reflecting pool. “Figured I’d wait until the next cataclysmic, galaxy threatening event to go back in time and tell him how I feel.”

It’s biting, and meaner than Bucky meant it to be. He can’t look at Steve, his old man face will make him feel even more like an asshole. Steve puts a hand on his shoulder, heavy and comforting in a way he doesn’t deserve. Especially when he knows Steve is just trying to help.

“Sorry.” He says quietly. Sam passes them with a wave, he’s panting hard, and theres a laser focus in his eyes. Sam has about two more laps in him before he calls it a day. Then they’ll all go out for breakfast, pick up some balsamic vinegar because Sam wants a fresh salad for lunch and then head home for movies and cards. “It’s fine, Steve. Everything is fine.”

xxxxx

Everything is very _not fine_ at the moment.

Bucky curses and ducks down next to some undergrowth. Bullets are flying and smoke is filling the air so densely that he can’t see his targets. It’s impossible to get a lock on where Sam is visually, and the other man isn’t answering his comm. Whatever element of surprise they might have had is completely blown.

This was supposed to be an easy job, but now Bucky’s worried about just getting out of it alive. He presses the button on his earpiece. “Get me a location on Wilson, now.” His voice is much calmer than he feels in the moment.

The Shield agent on the other side says that they’ve lost all contact and they're sending in someone to pick them up. It’s too late for that though, theres no enough time for Bucky to wait for them. 

The shooting has died down, the enemy probably thinks that Bucky has either run or been taken down by now. Cursing he crawls from the bushes and begins to pick his way stealthily towards the base. He hates going in without a plan, but he hates the idea of Sam being dead more.

The bunker is built low in a valley, and the smoke has started clearing already. Theres a distinct lack of gun shots or even shouting coming from the area and the smoke seems to be coming from the building itself. Bucky frowns, his weapon raised as he stalks into the clearing. He sees bodies, near the entrance, obviously fleeing, but they aren’t moving either dead or knocked out already.

He hears groaning, coming from the tree-line, and he looks over. It’s _Sam_ , his uniform is torn and his wing pack is nowhere to be seen but he’s _alive._ Bucky doesn’t hesitate before running to him, his heart nearly caught in his throat. 

Sam is leaning against a tree, the shoulders of his costume and ripped and charred. He’s wrapping his own leg with shaky hands, and Bucky can’t quite tell where the blood is coming from, only that theres a lot of it.

“God, _Sam._ ” He tosses his weapon aside and immediately crouches and moves into Sam’s space, waving away his hands so he can assess the damage. “Stupid. You’re so fucking stupid.”

“Fuck off, Barnes.” Sam says completely without heat. He’s smiling weakly though. It’s a testament to how shit he must feel that he doesn’t stop Bucky from bandaging him up. “Just jealous ‘cuz I got here first.”

His breathing is becoming a little more labored, and his eyes are glassy and wet. Bucky grunts, and ducks his head, pressing his earpiece again. “Located Wilson, we need evac immediately.” He gives their coordinates and then begins checking Sam over for other injuries.

“Getting handsy there, buddy.” Sam sounds amused, but his words are starting to slur together and his eyes are drooping. Bucky presses his gloves hands to Sam’s face and shakes him just a little. 

“Hey, stay awake for me, yeah?” Bucky’s voice does _not_ crack as he watches the awareness in Sam’s eyes start fading. He catches him before Sam tilts over and curses under his breath. “No, no, come on. Don’t do this to me, Wilson. Don’t.”

He holds him tight, whispering into the side of his head until he hears the sound of a chopper overhead.

xxxxx

“ _Really,_ Barnes?”

Bucky nearly jumps out of his skin, not realizing he had almost fallen asleep in the uncomfortable hospital armchair. He blinks hazily, the lights way too bright and everything far too reflective.

“Over here, sleepyhead.”

Sam’s tired, but cheeky voice draws Bucky’s gaze. He looks over and feels like he could collapse right onto the floor. It’s been two days, Sam completely out for all of it and Bucky refused to move from his side. The Doctors insisted his injuries weren’t extreme, but Bucky was fairly certain that someone being unconscious for days was _exceptionally_ extreme _._

He reaches over and touches Sam’s hand lightly, carefully of the IVs he’s currently hooked up on. His face is ashen, and theres a bruise on the right side of his temple, but otherwise he looks okay. Bucky’s just so glad he’s finally awake.

“I know,” Bucky takes a deep, shaky breath. “That you are Captain America now, but you _really, really_ don’t have to copy every stupid thing that Steve ever did.”

Sam snorts, and then winces a little. He looks at Bucky, his lips pursed. “Says the man who takes flirting advice from him. Trouble Man, really?”

Bucky can feel heat rising in his face, he had forgotten he had put the music on playing quietly in the background. It was one of the first things Steve had introduced to him to when he was getting back on his feet. He hadn’t explained the significance of the music at all, only that it helped him relax and stop thinking so hard.

He vaguely wonders if Steve ever figured out what Sam had been hinting at. Steve was always bad at picking up romantic cues like that. Luckily, that seemed to be one thing Sam and Steve didn’t have in common.

“Is it working?” Bucky can’t stop the blush, and once the words are out theres nothing he can do about it. This is happening, its actually happening.

“The music? No. That’s me and Steve’s thing.” Sam says. But he smiles gently, tilting his head back so that he can look at Bucky fully. “But everything else? Me and you? Definitely working.”

The tension flees from Bucky’s body and he smiles, big and dopey and he’s so relieved he couldn’t care less. He notices Sam looking at him imploringly, one eyebrow raised in an o _kay, what are you waiting for?_ kind of way.

He doesn’t need more than that before he leans over the hospital bed and presses a sweet kiss to Sam’s lips. Steve would be proud. He finally did it. Only a semi-cataclysmic event needed.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote a one-shot, I really did it. I kind of want to write more, but I won't push it this time.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed! <3


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